Incubator



(No Model.) l

A. J. TGBEY. INGUBATOR.

No. 566,429. l Patented Aug'. 25, 1896.

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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.,

. ALONZO J. TOBEY, or ELMIRA, NEw YORK,

INCUBATOR.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 566,429, dated August25, 1896. Amman@ fiiedrarch 12,1896, sentira. aeio. (Nummer.)

To all whom it may concern.'

Be it known that I, ALONZO J. TOBEY, a citiv zen of the United States,residing at Elmira, in the county of Chemung and State of New York, haveinvented certain new and useful Improvements in Incubators, of which thefollowing is a specification.

My invention relates to improvements in` incubators which are heated byhot water circulating through pipes in the interior of theincubating-chamber, the hot water being supplied by a suitably-arrangedheater on the outside of said chamber; and the objects of myimprovements are,; first, to provide the incubating-chamber with aninclosing case so arranged as to leave an air-space onl all sides of theincubatingchamber, through which space the waste heat from theincubatorheater is caused to circulate from a separate andconveniently-located heater-chamber; second, to providemeans forregulating' the amount of heat passing from the heater-chamber to theair-space; third, to provide improved means for supplying moisture tothe incubating-chamber and for a more perfect circulation of moist andheated air from the top of the incubating-chamber downward to all pointsof the lower portions of said chamber, and, fourth, to provide athermostat which shall control the heat both in the incu bating-chamberand in its inclosing case. I attain these objects by the constructionand mechanism illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which- Figurel is a top sectional view on the line as w in Fig. 2. Fig. 2 is asectional elevation on the line y y in Fig. l. Fig. 3 is a crosssectionthrough the heater and its containingchamber on the line a z, Fig. 1.Figs. aand 5 show the construction of my attachment to the lamp-burnerfor regulating the ame, and Fig. 6 is a detail showing my thermostatconnection.

Similar letters refer to similar parts throu gh-- `located therein, soas to provide an air-space around all sides, is the incubating-chamberC.

The heater-chamber is provided with the top door b, end door h', andtrap-door t. Upon the trap-door stands the lamp D, which is Aprovidedwith the iiaring chimney d. When in position, the top lof this chimneycomes against the bottom of the cylindrical water-tank E, which isprovided with the frusto-conical passage e, the bottom of whichregisters withthe top of the chimney.. From thetop of the tank E' passesa pipe f through the partition a and into the top portion of theincubating-chamber, where it is connected to the manifold F, from whichrun a number of pipes g g g g across the top of the chamber to thesecond manifold G at the other end thereof. From one end of the manifoldG runs the return-pipe g", which passes through the partition a on alevel with the pipe j', where it bends down alongside of the tank E andenters the tank at the bottom. Afillerplug h is located at the bend ofthe pipe g, and a draw-O cock h is located at the bottom of the tank. y

In the center of the top portion of the incubating-chamber is locatedthe moisturedrum I in the line of the pipe g. Two valves i z' arecoupled into the pipe g on either side of the drum to shut it offentirely from the rest of the heating system when required. Two pipes z"1l lead from the top portion of the drum, as shown, out through theincuhating-chamber, down in the space between it and the incubator-case,and through the bottom ofthe case, where they are open to the air. Theentire air-supply for the incubatingchamber comes in through thesepipes, and as these pipes run through the warm-air space between theincubator-case and incubatingchamber the air is warmed and the chilltaken off before it enters the moisture-drum. Two cocks d il open intothe top of the incubating-chamberfroin the top of the drum, and areprovidedwith long stems, which extend out through the front of saidchamber, where they may be manipulated through the door in the front ofthe incubator-case. From the bottom of the incubating-chamber at the ICOfour corners run the pipes j jj j, which conbottom portion of theincubator-case opposite the heater-chamber.

The thermostat consists of an expansible bar K, preferably of hardrubber, which is held in the position shown and is provided withadjusting-screws 7c 7c at its ends. These screws pass through the endsof the incubatin g-chamber and are provided on the outside withthumb-nuts for adjusting' the tension of the rod. At its center the barK passes through the stirrup Z on the end of the rod L, which hangs downfrom the short arm of the lever M through a hole in the top of theincubating-chamber. The rod L has a thumb-screw connection with thelever M, so that it may be properly adjusted. The lever M is pivoted atfm, and its long arm runs through a narrow slot in the partition a intothe heater-chamber, where it it is coupled to the rod N, which connectswith the outer end of the lever O, which in turn is pivoted at o beneaththe burner of the lamp. The other arm of the lever O runs up by the sideof the wick-tube, where it is curved and passed with a close sliding iitthrough a hole in the boss p, attached to the sliding tube P, the holein p being set at right angles to the line of travel of the sliding tubeand the curve of the lever-arm being such that its tangent at the pointwhere it passes through p will at all times be at right angles to theline of travel of the sliding tube. By this manner of connecting thelever and sliding tube there is always insured direct pressure upon thetube in the direction of its line of travel, there is no lost motion,and the tube responds to the slightest movement in the lever caused bythe thermostat. Then the curved arm of the lever is in its highestposition, the sliding tube may be readily removed for cleaning out thepieces of charred wick, which, after a little use, will work in betweenit and the wick-tube and cause it to stick and respond with difficultyto the action of the thermostat.

The incubating-chamber C is set up from the bottom of the case A by theblocks c c, the incubator-case itself being set up the required distancefrom the floor by suitable legs. The egg-drawer is removed through doorsin front of the chamber c and case A, the former of glass to permitobservations to be made of the interior conditions, and the latterunglazed to render the interior of the case and chamber dark. A door ais located in the top of the case A, through which to reach theadjustment for the thermostatlever.

The holes r in the top of partition a allow the hot air from the lamp toenter the incubator-case and circulate around the incubating-chamber,and the amount of hot air let in may be regulated by the shutters fr. In

the bottom of the heater-chamber are the holes s, which admit fresh airto the lamp.

The operation of the incubator is as follows The tank E is filled withwater through the opening for the plug h, and as this opening is abovethe top of the pipe system all of the pipes are lled at the same timeand also the drum I, the cocks i" i being left open to allow the air inthe pipes to escape. The lamp is th en lighted and set up through thetrap-door b under the tank. As the water is heated it circulates throughthe pipe system and back to the tank through the pipe g. As theincubating-chamber is closed on all sides with the exception of theopenings into the pipes j at the fourlower corners the hot air is drawndown from the top of the chamber across all parts of the egg-drawer Qand escapes through the pipes j. This produces an even distribution ofheat throughout the chamber. At the same time the heat given off by thelamp and tank in the heater-chamber passes through the holes fr inpartition a, the doors b and b being tightly closed, and circulatesthrough the air-space surrounding the incubatingchamber and finallyescapes from the bottom of this air-space through the pipe j. In thisway the incubating-chamber is surrounded. by a warm atmosphere that isuniform and not subject to drafts and sudden changes of temperatures, asit would be if it stood in a room without this air-jacket. At the sametime I utilize the heat from the lamp that would otherwise be wasted andeconomize fuel, since the warm air surrounding the incubating-chamberkeeps it warmer and requires less heat to be developed in the hotwatersystem. In warm weather and at other times when it is not desired topass the air from the heater-chamber into the incubatorcase the holes rare closed by their slides and cover b slightly lifted to give escape tothe hot air from the lamp. The amount of heat passing through partitiona may also be regulated by closing one or more of the openings r and byproperly adjusting the opening through door b. It will also be seen thatwhen the warm-air circulation is shut off from the incubator-case thereis a still-air jacket around the incubating-chamber, which protects itfrom sudden changes in temperature.

IVhen the temperature in the incubatingchamber rises to the desireddegree, the thermostat-bar K bends or buckles upward with its expansionand causes the lever M to push the rod N down, throwing up the free endof the lever O, which in turn lifts the tube P and reduces the flame ofthe lamp, thereby shutting off the heat more or less, according to therise of the bar K. Thus the temperatures in the chamber C and in theair-space about it are regulated at the same time. By connecting the barK with the rod L by means of the stirrup t I provide a solid bar with noperforations or reduced portions to be broken or permanently set by theexpansion. The eX- pansion is uniform throughout the length of the bar,and I thus obtain superior results.

In order to moisten the air within the incubating-chamber, I provide thedrum I, located in a central position. Air enters this drum from thepipes t" c" above the water- IOO IIO

level, and is given oif in a moistened condition through the cocks i inthe top, the amount of air thus given o being regulated from the outsideby means of the long stems. If desired, the hot water may be shut offfrom the drum entirely by closing the valves z' fi, in which case airwill issue from cocks i t in the same condition as it comes in from theoutside of the incubator-case. It often occurs that the humidity of theoutside air is sufficient to furnish all the moisture required withinthe incubating-chamber, and it would increase the amount of moisture toa harmful degree if this already moist air were to be passed through themoisture-drum when iilled with hot water. By connecting the drum so asto shut it off from the rest of the heating system and by providing theair-cocks i i I am able to control perfectly both the supply and thecondition of the air entering the incubating-chamber. Whenever itbecomes necessary to trim or reiill the lamp, it is withdrawn throughthe trap-door b", the door b' giving access to the interior of theheater for the purpose of uncoupling the rod N from the lever O. Bymeans of the doors in the incubator-case the moisture `and thermostatadjustments can all be reached without opening the incubating-chamber.

I am aware that prior to my invention incubators have been made with ahot-water heating system in which the water circulates through pipesfrom a tank heated by a lamp; also that they have been made with adouble casing to provide a dead-air space around the incubating-chamber; also that the flame of the lamp has been regulated by means of athermostat-bar within the incubating-chamber; and I do not claim thesethings broadly.

Vhat I do claim as my invention, and desire to secure by Letters Patent,is-

l. In an incubator, the combination of an outer inclosing case, andincubating-chamber within the inclosing case, with an air-space on allsides of the incubating-chamber between it and the inclosin g case, aheater-chamber in the inclosing case separated from theincubating-chamber and from the air-space, a heater within theheater-chamber from which heat is supplied to the incubating-chamber, anair-passage from the heater-chamber to the air-space and from theair-space to the outer air whereby the waste heat from theheater-chamber is made to circulate through the air-space around theincubatin g-chamber,

and means for regulating the amount of heat passing from theheater-chamber to the airspace.

2. In an incubator, the combination of an outer inclosing case, an innerincubatingchamber with an air-space on all sides between case andchamber, a heater-chamber at one end of the inclosing case with apartition between it and the air-space, a heater within theheater-chamber from which heat is supplied to the incubating-chamber andpassages provided with shutters through the upper portion of thepartition whereby waste heat from the heater and lamp in regulatedquantities may pass from the heater-chamber around theincubating-chamber and escape' through a properly-arranged outlet at theopposite side of the case.

3. In an incubator, the combination with an incubating-chamber of aheat-radiating system consisting of pipes running across the upperportion of the chamber and connected at their ends with the top andbottom of a water-heater, a drum through which the hot water circulatesfrom the ,pipes of the system provided with an air-inlet and anair-outlet at its top, and suitable means for shutting off the drum fromthe rest of the system and for regulating the amount of moistened airissuing from the drum through the air-outlet.

4. In a heat-radiating system for incubators, the combination of themanifolds at the upper ends of the incubating-chamber, pipes connectingthe manifolds, a drum at the center of the central pipe, valves in saidpipe on either side of the drum, air-inlets leading from the outer airto the upper portion of the drum, air-cocks at the top of the drum, andcirculating-pipes connecting the respective manifolds with the top andbottom of a suitably-located water-heater.

5.V In a thermostat for incubators, an eX- pansion-bar stretched acrossthe incubatingchamber, tension-adjusting screws at the ends of the bar,a stirrup through which the eX- pansion-bar ,passes intact at Vitscentral point, and a rod connecting the stirrup with one end of theregulating-lever, all combined substantially as shown and described.

In testimony whereof l have aiiixed my signature in presence of twowitnesses.

ALONZO J. TOBEY.

Witnesses:

EUGENE DIvEN, HOLLIS H. MILLS.

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